Switching apparatus



Get. 23, 1928.

L. T. JARNES SW1 TCHING APPARATUS Filed July 50, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Llewellyn T Barnes INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LLEWELLYN T. BARNES, OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEM ENGI- NEERING CORPORATION, OF HEMPSTEAID, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF'NEW YORK.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 30,

The invention relates to switching apparatus and more particularly to devices adapted to intermittently render the working circu t or circuits operative and inoperative, and 1s especially applicable to flashing lamps or the like, for electrical signs, etc., although not necessarily limited to such application.

It isone of the particular objects of this invention to make the switching apparatus disclosed in Patent #1,045,97 9 issued to E. A. Hoh, December 3, 1912, especially suitable for synchronous operation of a plurality of circuits of the kind described in this patent.

Another object is to particularly adapt the invention for operating in synchronrsm, four or more circuits which are closed, in series and at high speed, to produce flashing effects, such as chasing borders, revolving wheels,

and similar advertising signs. I

A further object consists in the novel method of connecting the units and in such a manner as to produce different or variable speed effects.

Still further objects reside in certain details of construction and combination of parts which will be brought out more fully in the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l'is a front elevation of a preferred form of the switching apparatus shown 1n connection with a four circuit system, the wiring to the switch and connection to the circuit being shown in a diagrammatic manner;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switching apparatus, with the wiring omitted for sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus,

partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional View along the plane of line 5--5, in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is afragmentary cross sectional view along the plane of line 6-6, in Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference denote simi- 1923. Serial N0. 654,667.

lar parts throughout the several drawings and the following specifications.

10 is a suitable insulating base upon which arefastened, preferably, 2 switch units of substantially identical construction.

Each unit consists of a fulcrum bracket 11, mounted upon base 10 by means of screws 12. A fulcrum or axle 13 is driven into bracket 11. 14 is an oscillating member or walking beam, pivotally mounted on fulcrum 13, and held in spaced relation to insulating base 10 by means of a tubular washer 15. 16 is a cotter pin for the purpose of retaining walking beam 14 upon the fulcrum 13.

Mounted upon the top of walking beam 14 by means of 2 screws 17 is a switch bracket 18 which projects frontwardly and terminates in a substantially U-shape, having 2 parallel vertical sides, 19 and 20, respectively, joined by a top wall 21. Fastened to sides 19 and 20, respectively, by means of screws 22 are switch holders 23 which are each provided with '2 straps 24. 25 is the switch member proper which consists of a glass tube arranged to receive a suitable conducting li uid, such as mercury, for instance. Eac switch member 25 has mounted therein 2 switch or working circuit contacts 26 and 27. These contacts extend into and are sealed in the tube. Straps 24 are bent around switch tubes 25 and hold each tightly against, respectively, sides 19 and 20 of the switch bracket 18. 28 are asbestos packing rings around the switch tubes 25 to avoid contact with the tube of the straps 24 and thus avoid breakage of the tube due to uneven expansion, the straps being of metal. The position of the switch holders 23 and switch tubes 25 may be adjusted to any desired relation, and are so held by means of screws 22. 29 is an opening through top 21 and side 20 of the switch bracket 18 to permit a screw driver to be inserted for adjusting the screw 22 which fastens switch holder 23 to the side 19 of the bracket.

One end of the walking beam 14 is slotted to receive an armature link 30, and is pivotally connected therewith by means of a pin 31. The other end of the beam 14 is provided at its top and bottom with small asbestos or cotton cushions 32. The oscillation .of the walking beam around axle 13 is limited by a U-shaped stop piece 33 which straddles the walking beam 14 and is fastened to the base 10 by a screw 34, the impact of the beam 14 with the sides of the stop piece 33 being softened by the cushions 32 at the end Of each oscillation.

At the lower side of the beam 14, at a point between the end which is limited in travel by stop piece 33 and the axle 13, is a pin 35, through a perforation of which is attached an end of a retractile coiled spring 36. The other end of this spring is secured to a screw 37 passing through a bracket 38, fastened to the base 10. 39 are lock nuts for adjusting and retaining the position of screw 37 and thereby regulate the tension of the spring 36.

40 is a solenoid which consists of a hollow square shaped bobbin 41, having a form wound coil 42 placed over it. Loose flanges 43 and 43, at both ends of the coil 42, and other suitable insulation 43 around it, serve as a covering for the coil 42. Bobbin 41 projects through flanges 43 and 43", and a bracket 44, fitting around 3 sides of the projecting end of the bobbin, is used to secure the top part of the solenoid to the base 10, by means of screws 45, and also retains the top flange 43 in position at the end of the coil. The lower projecting end of the bobbin 41 is drilled for a screw 46 secured to the base 10. A tubular washer over screw 46, in the s ace between the base 10 and the bobbin 41, an the large head of the screw 46 also hold flange 43 in place against the coil.

Mounted within the bobbin 41, at its lower end, is a core 48, customarily made of laminated metal sheets, which is held rigidly by the screw 46 which thereby has 2 functions,

that of securing the solenoid to the base and that of securing the magnet tothe solenoid.

Loosely mountedwithin the upper hollow part of the bobbin 41, and made of laminated metal sheets, of square cross section, is an armature 49, to which is fastened by means of a pin 50 the armature link 30.

All the parts of the switch units so far described are identical, and are mounted on the base 10 vertically and parallel to each other, the solenoids arranged at the outside, and-the free ends of the walking beams projecting toward the inside, away from their actuating solenoids. The reference numbers of both units are the same, but to aid now the ex- 1 planation of the electrical features of the invention, I shall designate the switch tubes proper, at the left side, as 51 and52, respectively, and those at the right side, as 53 and 54, respectively, and the point where the wires are connected to the switch tubes as 55 and 56, for tube 51, 'as 57 and 58, for tube 52, as

59 and 60, for tube 53, and as 61 and 62, for tube 54.

Reference to Fig. 1 shows mounted on base 10, in the space between the 2 switch units, a set of 4 working circuit terminals 63, 64, 65 and 66, respectively, and above them, 2 similar terminals 67 and 68.

Connections between the contact points of the switch tubes and the terminals are made by flexible wires, customarily insulated by beads (not shown), as follows: Switch tube 51, contact 55 with terminal 63 by wire 69, contact 56 with terminal 67 by wire 70 tube 52, contact 57 with terminal 64 by wire 71, contact 58 with terminal 67 by wire 72; tube 53, contact 59 with terminal 68 by wire 7 3, contact 60 with terminal 65 by wire 74; tube 54, contact 61 with terminal 68 by wire 75,, contact 62 with terminal 66 by wire 76.

One end of the winding of the left hand solenoid 40 is connected by a flexible wire 77 to terminal 66, the other end of the Winding by wire 78 to terminal 67. The winding of the right hand solenoid 40 is connected at one end by a wire 79 to terminal 64, and at its other end by wire 80 to terminal 68.

Terminals 67 and 68 are connected together by a wire bridge 81. A single terminal could have been provided for in place of these two terminals 67 and 68, but two are used, so as to make the same lay out adaptable for a 3 wire system, by simply omitting the bridge 81.

A positive line wire 82 is connected to terminal 68. The positive sides of four lamp banks (a, 5,0 and d, are connected to the ter minals 64, 66, 63 and 65, respectively. The negative sides of the lam ointly connected to a negative side 83 of the The operation of the system described herein is as follows:

As shown in Figure 1 both windings, 40, are de-energized and springs 36 maintainthe switches in the positions shown. Switches 52 and 53 are disposed horizontally and their circuits are closed, while switches 51 and54 are maintained in an inclined position and their circuits are open. When a source of banks are all Ill) electric power is imposed upon the main lines 82 and 83, the bank of lamps a, which is connected across the mains by means of closed switch 52, is illuminated. The bank of lamps d, which is connected across the main lines by means of switch 53, is also illuminated. The

Ill)

This current is too small to illuminate the bank of lamps 7i but is strong enough to energize the left-hand winding 40. lhe energization of this winding will operate the beam 1% and will put the switch 52 in its open circuit position and the switch 51 in its closed circuit position. The opening of switch 52 opens the circuit for the bank of lamps a, and the closing of switch 51 closes the circuit for the bank of lamps 0.

Immediately upon the opening of switch 52 some. current passes through the righthand winding it) and the winding is energized and brings about an operation of the beam controlled by that winding and an operation of the switches 53 and 5% so that switch 53 is put into its open circuit position and switch 54 into its closed circuit position. This brings about an interruption of the current flowing in the bank of lamps 7) which is now connected across the mains by the closing of switch 54:. The closing of switch 54 brings about a short circuit of left-hand winding 40 with the result that said winding becomes deenergized and the switches 51 and 52 are accordingly moved back to the position shown in the drawing with the result that bank 0 is again interrupted and bank a is illuminated. The closing of switch 52 also brings about a de-energization ot' right-hand winding 40 which "arises the switches 53 and 54 to be moved back to the position shown in Figure 1 and the bank I) is interrupted and bank d is illun'iinated. The operations described above are now again repeated ad intinituin.

The result and effect of the above operations is that the banks of the lamps are illuminated in pairs in the following order: ad become illuminated as soon as the source of power is connected to the system. Immediately thereai'ter,due to the energization of the left-hand winding 14.0, bank a is interrupted and bank 0 is illun'iinated. The right-hand winding 40 is then energized and bank (Z is irterrupted and bank I) becomes illuminated. Left-hand winding 40 then becomes de-energized and bank is interrupted and bank a is illun'iinated. This is followed by the de-energization of right-hai'id winding 40 which brings about an interruption of Z) and an illumination of (l, thus completing the cycle.

The banks of lamps, it will be seen, are thus illuminated in pairs successively as follows: ad, (I0, cl), ba.

It will be noted that as soon as the device reaches its normal speed. the. rotation of dark ning the lamps is in the order shown,

that is, first a, then b, then 0, and finally (Z.

This cycle of operation repeats itself. cans ing each bank of lamps to be darkened successively, thereby causing a moving effect of the lights of which any desired number or combination may be connected to the switching apparatus.

If it is desired to work the apparatus at extreme high speeds, wire 79 is detached from terminal 64 and connected to terminal 66. By so doing, the right hand solenoid and the left .hand solenoid are energized simultaneously, and the lag or timing of operation of one solenoid after the other one is obtained mechanically by increasing the tension of the spring 86, or by attaching a weight to the free end of the beam 14 of theloft hand unit.

Attention is now particularly called to the fact that, as explained above, the energizing of, for instance, the left hand solenoid, with the four circuit system as shown in Fig. 1, causes the beam 14 of that unit tobe operated, breaks the contact in tube 52 and sends the currents into the right hand solenoid,'and vice versa, resulting in an alternating action of the two respective beams. In the modification "for extreme high speeds, explained in the preceding paragraph. both solenoids are energized at the same time, and successive operation of each unit is obtained by causing one of the units to lag mechanically, instead of" electrically.

For various calibrations, different cycles, and variations between alternating and direct current, an auxiliary resistance is inserted in the coil circuit in series with the coil.

In the drawings has been illustrated the application of the principle of the invention to a 4 circuit system. It is obvious that the construction may be varied to suit any plurality of circuits and to adapt itself to many other purposes, and it should be understood that various changes of form, proportion and minor details may be resorted to without departin'g or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Furthermore. while I have shown in the drawings and described in the above specification the individual switches forming part of the switch units made of glass tubes con taining a conducting liquid, it is obvious that any other form of switch may be substituted for this particular type, so for instance, open switches. made of 2 spring members having contact points which are brought together by the action of the walking beam' 14 may be employed, as well.

lVhat I claim as new. is:

1. In combination with a plurality of banks of translating device, an automatic switching apparatus comprising a plurality of switches. one in series with each bank, said switches being divided in two groups, an electromagnet for each group of switches and means for shunting one switch of one group across the elect-romagnetof the other group and means whereby each electromagnet when energized, operates to close the last-mentioned switch in its group and to open another switch in its group.

2. In combination with four banks of translating devices, an automatic switching apparatus for energizing and deenergizing by each electroinagnet when energized, opersuceessively a varying pair of banks, said apates to close the last-mentioned switch in its paratus COI'DPl'iSiDQ, four switches, one in group end to open another switch in its series with each bank, said switches being digroup.

vided into two groups, an electromagnet for In testimony whereof I have hereunto set each group of switches and means for shuntmy hand.

ing one switch of one group across the electromagnet ()f the other group, and means Where- LLEWELLYN T. BARNES. 

